Troy Brown Retires: A Patriot For Life

Career long New England Patriots football player Troy Brown announced his retirement from professional football yesterday at Gillette Stadium. I use the term “football player” when referencing Brown, because Troy was in simplest terms the quintessential Patriots football player. In his career with the Patriots the 5-10”, 196 lbs. Brown played in all three phases of the game. Most of the time you saw No. 80 line up in the slot at wide receiver, you could also see Brown on special teams returning punts and kickoffs; and when the Pats were depleted in the secondary Brown buttoned up his chin strap and stepped into the defensive huddle to play cornerback. I can’t think of any other football player in the NFL, besides Patriots LB/TE Mike Vrabel, that played and contributed on offense, defense and special teams.

Brown gave an eloquent and heart felt speech. He stated the one phrase that has become a part of every retiring player’s press conference, in that his heart and soul still want to play the game, but his body is just telling him “no.” Perhaps the most heart wrenching part of the press conference (not seen in the video above) came when Brown’s ten year old son, Sir’mon, asked his father with tears in his eyes, “Daddy, if you love the game so much, why are you retiring?” For a moment Brown looked into his son’s eyes and answered the question as a father, rather than a football player:

“I would love to keep playing but there comes a time when the man upstairs called God, you can’t outrun him, as much as you try to and want to,” Brown said. “He just catches up to you and tells you that you’re 37 years old. Your knee is supposed to be hurting. Your hip is not in great shape. You can’t run as fast as you used to. There’s a bunch of 22-year-old guys out there that are taking your place.  I’m no longer 22, and in this game there are very few places for guys that are 37 years old. Therefore, you have to move on and create other goals and things to achieve. It’s a sad day for me too.”

Brown was a member of the Patriots for 15 years. He was a long shot to make it in the NFL; he looks more like an NBA point guard then a three time super bowl champion wide receiver. Brown attended Marshall College in West Virginia, where he played on scholarship for the football team. In 1992 Brown and the Marshall Thundering Herd captured their first Division I-AA national championship. The following year Brown was drafted by the New England Patriots in the 8^th round, 198 overall.

Brown was not an instant success in the NFL; in fact he was cut by the Patriots during the preseason in 1994, only to be resigned by the Pats later that season in October. Brown was used primarily as a return man in the beginning of his career, but emerged on the scene in 2000, with 83 catches for 944 yards, and 4 touchdowns. In 2001 Brown became new quarterback Tom Brady’s go to target compiling 101 catches, for 1199 yards, and 5 touchdowns in route to the Patriots first super bowl victory; as well as Brown’s only Pro-Bowl appearance.

Brown continued to show his allegiance and dedication to the team; in 2004 the Patriots were decimated with injuries in the defensive secondary. Coach Bill Belichick’s last resort was to use Troy Brown on defense as a cornerback. Not once did Brown complain or make excuses. Brown fished the 2004 campaign with three interceptions, good for second on the team. In 2005 the Patriots cut Troy Brown yet again; Brown was offered more money to play for the New Orleans Saints, but took a pay cut to stay with the Patriots. And just this past off-season the New York Jets and former Patriots Defensive coordinator Eric Mangini offered Brown a one year deal to play for the Jets. Brown said thanks, but not thanks, “You will only see me with one color on my back… the red, white and blue of the Patriots… I don’t look good in green.”

Players like Brown are few and far between in this day and age; it is rare that we see a player stay with one team throughout their entire career. At the end of Brown’s career he left the Patriots as the all time leader in receptions with 557 (for 6,366 yards and 31 touchdowns), punt returns (252), and punt return yards (2,625).

More important than statistics Brown leaves his NFL career as one of the greatest team leaders, and sportsman that the NFL has ever seen. Brown’s No. 80 will not be officially retired by the Patriots for a few years now, but you can bet money that you will never see another Patriot where the No. 80 for the rest of your life. I share the same Troy Brown memory as Boston Globe writer, Christopher Gasper. The play that best represent Troy Brown as a football player came in the 2006 AFC divisional playoff game against the San Diego Chargers. The play came in the forth quarter with the Patriots trailing 21-13. On fourth down and five, with only five minutes to play Tom Brady threw an interception to Chargers safety Marlon McCree. Instead of falling to the ground and cementing a victory McCree began to run with the ball. Brown then came out of nowhere to strip the ball from McCree, and the fumble was recovered by Patriot Reche Caldwell.

The Patriots went on to win the game 24-21. But that’s Troy Brown for you playing both sides of the ball, and just exceeding is responsibilities. In his career with the Patriots Brown did everything right and will be remembered for his amazing work ethic and his undeniable allegiance to one team and one goal- Win.

• touching all the bases So long, No. 80
• photo gallery Troy Brown through the years
• touching all the bases So long, No. 80
• Troy Brown’s retirement press conference
• discuss Post your salute to Troy Brown

Quotes were used from Christopher L. Gasper article in The Boston Globe